The Fifth Wheel
by dcj
Summary: It has nothing to do with camping - it's just no one likes to be the odd man out, especially when everyone else has a date.
1. Chapter 1

Back to another little fluff piece. I can't see this going more than 4 chapters, but I'll guess we'll see how long winded I get. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing Rookie Blue.

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><p>"Come on, Andy. Why don't you come out with Jerry and me tomorrow night?" Traci asked.<p>

"I am not honing in on your date night."

"It's not honing if I ask you." Traci assured her.

"Besides, Jerry will be fine with it; hell it'd probably be good for his ego to escort not one but two hot chicks out for supper." She teased.

Andy laughed at her friend's logic. "I'm fine Traci. I'm not even that sad; it was the right thing to do."

"I know it was; that's why you deserve to go out and celebrate. Plus, it'll be fun."

"Are you sure Jerry won't care?" Andy knew they didn't get a lot of alone time.

"He won't mind." Traci promised.

"Well, ask him first. If he says it's ok, then I'll go."

"Great, I'll ask him as soon as I can."

Traci was excited; sure she enjoyed having Jerry to herself but Andy was her friend, and she wanted to be there for her too.

While Traci and Andy finished getting ready for morning parade, Jerry had just entered the men's locker room looking to find Sam.

"Hey, Sammy. Are you still coming out with Traci and me on Friday night?" Jerry wondered.

"Did you ask her if it's ok yet?"

"She won't care." He held up his hand to stop Sam from interrupting. "But if it'll make you feel better I'll make sure and ask her today."

Sam was a little leery; he knew Traci had Leo and it wasn't always easy for her to get time with just her and Jerry. "I don't really want to be the third wheel so I'm only coming if she says it's ok."

"Yeah…about that." Jerry began.

Sam didn't like that tone. "About what?"

"You won't exactly be a third wheel." Jerry explained with a forced smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…there's kind of going to be a fourth joining us."

Sam was shaking his head.

"Please tell me it's Oliver or Noelle." Sam begged. He was pretty sure it wasn't going to be a mutual friend, but he could always hope Jerry had learned his lesson and it wasn't another set up.

"Come on, Sammy." Jerry encouraged. "It's time you got back in the game. You haven't dated anyone since Monica."

_I knew it._ "Sorry, Jerry. I think I feel a stomach flu coming on." Sam faked, reaching for his stomach.

"Sammy!" Jerry warned. "It would be rude to back out now."

_Who was he…Miss Manners. _Sam was not impressed. "Is that why you waited till the day before to tell me this was a set up?"

Jerry put on his best innocent look, which fooled neither of them. "Now, Sammy would I do something like that?"

Sam just rolled his eyes and Jerry clapped him on the shoulder before walking out of the locker room. "Wear something nice." He shouted back letting the door close behind him with a chuckle.

"Yeah…yeah." Sam yelled back with not nearly the enjoyment that Jerry had.

Sam despised being set up and Jerry was not known for his skills as a matchmaker. Sam had met a few ladies through Jerry in the past and it surprised him how little Jerry knew about Sam's taste in women. They had been friends for a long time and Jerry still had yet to do a decent job. If it hadn't been only a day away, Sam would have found any way out of it. As it was, he was just too much of a gentleman to back out this late in the game.

_Now if Jerry could just find someone who was fun, had a great laugh, athletic, could dish it out and take a joke..._ As he walked out of the locker room, Sam continued to create the image of his ideal date. If he was being honest with himself, he had started to picture a brown eyed, brown haired beauty, who looked exactly like the woman he had just come face to face with. His eyes widened a little as he realized that he had just been imagining his perfect woman and she was standing right in front of him.

Andy smiled and gave him a quick wave as she and Traci headed to parade. He waited a few seconds to let them go ahead while he tried to make peace with his revelation. As he continued behind them, he saw Jerry call Traci aside.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

At the same time, they both started talking. "About tomorrow…"

They looked at each other and grinned. "Go ahead." Traci offered.

"I was wondering if it was ok to invite someone else for supper tomorrow night."

Traci laughed. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Who did you invite?"

"Well, I invited Sam and…" Jerry paused not quite sure how she would feel about it.

"And?"

"And, I kind of invited a woman I thought he might like." Jerry blurted quickly.

"Are you kidding me?" Traci was stunned. "And he went for that?"

"Not really, I just kind of sprang it on him." Jerry admitted reluctantly.

Traci wasn't impressed. "Well, that's just great because I invited Andy." She knew Andy had some unresolved feelings for Sam and she would not be happy with front row seats to Sam's blind date.

"Are you kidding?" It was Jerry's turn to be surprised and a little upset; he wasn't sure he could stop Sam from backing out now. "There's no way that Sammy is going to sit through an entire meal with Callahan."

Traci shot him a look. "I didn't say anything about Callahan."

"Well, she's not going to just leave him at home is she?"

"She most certainly is." Traci argued.

Jerry just looked at her, waiting for an explanation.

"Andy broke up with Luke last night." Traci revealed. "I was just inviting her to get her out of the house and back into the swing of things again."

Jerry was completely thrown. "Wow! I had no idea. The rumor mill formerly known as Epstein hasn't said a thing."

"You guys are as bad as a bunch of teenage girls." Traci chided. "It just happened last night. Do you really think they want the whole station talking about it? I know Andy doesn't."

"Whatever. Now what do we do?" Jerry wondered.

"I'll just tell Andy and leave it up to her." Traci offered.

"OK…let me know how it goes. I can always change the reservation to 5."

After parade, Traci pulled Andy aside. They had barely started speaking when Sam started yelling. "Get a move on McNally; you can have your gossip session on your own time!"

"I'll meet you out there in 10." Andy shot back.

"Make it 5!" And he left with no room for argument; he was in a bad mood with this stupid set up and it was only compounded by his revelation that he thought his partner was his ideal date, and she just happened to be taken. _Yeah this wasn't going to be uncomfortable at all._

"Talk fast while we go grab our stuff." Andy ordered as she pushed Traci down the hall.

They walked into the locker room noticing that Gail was already in there. After exchanging pleasantries, they continued talking. "I just wanted to let you know that Jerry invited Sam to supper too."

Andy's eyes widened as she took a quick glance at Gail. "Traci…you didn't tell…" She considered Gail her friend, but still wasn't sure she wanted to say anything in front of her about how she might feel about Sam.

Gail was already smirking. _Does Andy really think that she's hiding her feelings about Sam? Please._

"No…it's not like that." Traci said as she looked down sheepishly. "Jerry is actually setting Sam up on a blind date."

Traci hunched her shoulders bracing herself for Andy to explode. Gail was standing nearby holding her breath and waiting for the same thing. They were both surprised when Andy started laughing. "Are you kidding? Jerry's setting Sam up on a blind date?"

"What's so funny? I thought you might be…" And then Traci whispered, "upset. What if he likes her?"

Andy chuckled. "I've heard about some of Jerry's set-ups."

Traci was shocked.

"What?" Andy almost shouted. "Don't you ever talk to your partner when things are slow?"

"Well, yeah, I guess." Traci admitted.

"I can't remember how it came up, but Sam told me about a couple of blind dates Jerry forced him on in the past. From the way Sam described it, Jerry has no clue what or who Sam would like; this could be a real gong show."

Traci was pleasantly surprised that Andy was taking it this well. "You won't feel like a fifth wheel."

"Oh…I won't come alone." Andy declared.

"Well, in case you don't remember, you no longer have a boyfriend." Gail reminded her. She and Traci had both gone over to Andy's last night after her break up with Luke.

Andy scoffed. "I know that; I **was** the one that called it off."

"Well if you're not bringing Homicide Luke then…" Traci let it trail off, hoping for Andy to fill in the blanks.

"My cousin and his wife are in town from Ottawa this week. He called and said they wanted to get together, but his wife is busy until Saturday. I'll just bring him along. He'll be a blast; I promise."

"OK; sounds good. So I'll tell Jerry to make it a table for 6 then?"

"What about 8?" Andy wondered turning to Gail. "Are you and Chris free?"

"I wish." Gail grumbled. "Dov and Chris have some sort of video game marathon planned. I'm thinking it's time for me to just catch up on some reading or some sleep. I am not watching those two act like idiots all night."

"You can come by yourself." Andy offered.

"And be what...the seventh wheel? Don't worry about it; I was kind of looking forward to a quiet evening anyway."

"Maybe next time." Andy said before circling back to Traci. "Yep, make it 6. Just remind him that at least you were kind enough to let me pick my own date."

Traci laughed as she walked out. "I will."

As soon as Traci got to the squad car to meet Noelle, she called Jerry. She let him know that Andy was still in and that she would bring a date. Jerry was curious but didn't ask for too many details, especially once Traci started teasing him about how nice she was letting Andy decide on her own date not like some people she knew.

Andy had followed closely behind Traci after she grabbed all her stuff. She had given Gail a quick wave and ran out to meet Sam. He would probably be even more grouchy because of the blind date plus she was almost at her 5 minutes.

She was right, Sam was definitely in a foul mood all morning and it wasn't hard to figure out why; she knew he wouldn't be happy with Jerry. She didn't want to make it worse by bringing it up because she didn't think she could so without teasing or laughing. Normally she would have told him about breaking it off with Luke, but that didn't seem like the ideal topic of conversation either. So instead she just did her best to take his mind off of it by talking about anything and everything, and doing the best she could to make him laugh.

By the end of the day, Sam was definitely more relaxed. Between some minor calls and Andy, he had been successfully distracted for most of the afternoon. When they parted at the locker rooms though, Sam's bad mood was starting to return; he couldn't help but think about how much more fun he would have if he was going out with Andy.

While he changed and prepared to leave the barn for the night, Sam continued to stew about his predicament. When he came out of the locker room, he saw Andy heading out the exit and he was going to catch up with her and see if she wanted a ride to the Penny…until Jerry caught him.

"Sammy."

Sam let out a breath and hung his head before turning around with a sigh. "Yeah?"

"Don't sound so excited." Jerry responded sarcastically. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"Talk to me at the Penny." _Maybe he could still catch Andy._

"I can't go tonight." Jerry declared. "I've still got a few things here to finish up on."

"Fine…make it quick."

"What's your hurry?" Jerry wondered.

He was not sharing that information with Jerry so he just gave him a look that said 'get to the point'.

"Relax. I just wanted to let you know that there'll be more of us for supper tomorrow night. Apparently Traci had the same idea as I did and she invited McNally."

"Uh uh. No way." Sam argued. "I'm not going."

"What? Why? You can't back out now."

"The set up wasn't bad enough!" He was almost yelling and had to rein himself in before he continued under his breath. "Now you expect me to sit through an entire meal with Callahan."

"Relax, Sammy. McNally broke up with Callahan last night that's why Traci was inviting her out; you know, back in the saddle."

Sam was surprised and frankly a little hurt that Andy hadn't told him herself. But then he realized that she had spent the entire shift trying to get him out of his bad mood. He felt a little guilty then, wondering if he should have recognized that there was something wrong. If she had been upset, he probably would have asked and he was pretty sure she would have told him. But she didn't seem upset so he didn't think to ask. He would definitely have to bring it up tomorrow though.

He was preoccupied with those thoughts until he again remembered that Jerry had set him up and he was going to be on a date tomorrow. He did not want to go on a date in front of Andy especially if she just broke up with her boyfriend.

"I think you should call off the blind date." Sam suggested.

"I told you; it's too late. What's the problem now?" He suspected Sam had some feelings for Andy but he wasn't 100% sure.

"How's McNally going to feel when she's the only one not coupled up? We can't do that to her, especially when she just broke up with Callahan."

Jerry believed that Sam was sincere in his concern for Andy's feelings, but he was also pretty sure that Sam would do just about anything to get out of the blind date. Jerry was anxious to see how Sam reacted to his next statement; it might help him figure out exactly how deep Sam's feelings ran for Andy.

"Don't worry about McNally; Traci said she had someone to bring with her. She didn't want to be the fifth wheel either." Jerry explained.

Sam was trying to keep his poker face while his mind was spinning. _Who could Andy bring? If she just broke up with Callahan last night, how could she already be going out with someone else? Is that why they broke up? Shit! He didn't even have a chance to… _ He tried to keep the disappointment out of his face, but Jerry could still see it.

"I guess it's all set then." Sam said without much enthusiasm.

_It was going to be an interesting night._


	2. Chapter 2

Well, I get them to dinner this chapter, but not much more than that - like I said...long winded. Hope you enjoy.

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><p>Andy went straight home after work. She knew she would be going out for the next two nights and thought it would be best to get a good night's sleep tonight. She headed home, made a quick supper, and was in bed asleep by ten o'clock.<p>

Sam, on the other hand, decided to stop by the Penny after he got away from Jerry. He definitely wanted a drink, but he was actually hoping to talk to Andy too – maybe he wouldn't have to wait till tomorrow to get some answers. When he realized that she wasn't there, he had one drink with Oliver before calling it a night himself.

The next morning, Sam and Andy were paired together as usual. Even after they had been on patrol for an hour, both Sam and Andy were still quiet. Andy was trying to decide how to tell Sam about her breakup with Luke and Sam was trying to figure out how to ask Andy about Luke and her new date. Finally Andy couldn't take the silence anymore. "So I hear we're all going out for supper tonight."

"Sounds like it." Sam responded trying to sound indifferent, though in truth he was anything but.

Andy decided to plunge ahead. "You were kind of upset yesterday. Was it because of this date?"

Sam decided he didn't have any reason to hide how he felt; after that question, it was pretty obvious that she already knew anyway. "Yeah it was; I'm still not too sure about it."

"I hope it's ok that I'm coming too."

Sam answered honestly. "I have to admit I wasn't very happy when I found out." He hoped she didn't think it was because he didn't want to spend time with her though.

"Let me guess; you thought you were going to have to sit through an entire meal with Luke."

"Maybe." Sam looked a little embarrassed; he couldn't believe how well she knew him.

"Well, I don't know if Jerry told you or not, but these days he's not my first choice to go out to dinner with either."

He was glad she told him voluntarily; he didn't really want to pry. "Jerry mentioned it last night. You know you could have told me."

"I know I could have, but you weren't in the best of moods yesterday so I figured it could wait."

"I wasn't trying to hide it or anything." She added; she didn't want him to think that she didn't trust him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" She wondered. She was pretty sure he wasn't truly sorry about the break up; after all, he was the one that had warned her about Luke.

"For being selfish…for being so wrapped up in my own issues that I didn't see that you might be upset."

She was touched by his concern, but his guilt was unnecessary. "That's just it; you wouldn't have known. I really wasn't that upset. I guess that just tells me that I did the right thing."

"So you broke up with him then." Sam stated, as he pulled over to the curb. He knew he wouldn't be able to fully concentrate on his driving if this conversation went any further.

"Yeah…it wasn't working. I was never going to be as important to him as his work and well, he was never going to be as important to me as…I just didn't think it was going anywhere. He wanted me to move in with him, but I couldn't do it. It didn't make sense if I couldn't see myself in it for the long haul."

Sam was surprised to hear that they had discussed living together, but he was completely relieved to hear that Andy couldn't go through with it.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing then." Sam said as he smiled over at her.

"It is." She agreed, nodding her head.

When Andy met Sam's eyes, she was caught in his gaze and she couldn't let it go. And Sam was equally trapped as they both continued to look for something that they hoped was there. Neither one could look away, searching desperately for a clue as to how the other might feel about Andy's admission and what it might mean for the two of them.

Sam broke away first. "I was a little worried about you feeling like the fifth wheel when I found out, but Jerry said you're bringing a date."

Andy's face lit up then and it was obvious that she really liked the guy. Sam was a little disappointed, but he tried not to let it show on his face.

"Yeah I am and you're going to love him." Andy guaranteed.

After contemplating for a moment, she added, "…actually he kind of reminds me of you."

Sam wasn't sure if he should be happy that she was attracted to someone who was like him or if he should be upset that he was easily replaced.

"He teases me all the time and doesn't let me get away with anything." She explained. "And he lives for a good joke."

Then she turned to Sam with a smirk. "…though his generally come from the last decade."

Sam pretended to be hurt, but he couldn't hide his grin. "Hey…my jokes are classics."

"Keep telling yourself that." Andy shot back.

Although Sam loved their teasing, he let his retort die on his lips. Instead, he wanted more information. "It sounds like you're pretty close."

"We used to be, but he doesn't live in Toronto anymore; he's just visiting for a week." Andy admitted sadly. "I'm just glad we were able to get together."

Sam was happy that Andy seemed happy though he couldn't help but wish that she was going out with him, not just someone like him. It was nice to know he could be her type though. And now he had some hope; if this guy lived out of town, maybe Andy **was** still free.

Before Sam could get into it any further, a call came in and they were tied up for the rest of the day. They were on scene for a few hours before they headed back to the barn late in the afternoon, spending the rest of the day on paperwork.

As Andy stood up to go to the locker room at the end of shift, she glanced at Sam still sitting at his desk. "I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Do you need a ride?" Sam offered. "I can swing by…"

"No, that's fine; Kurt is picking me up. We'll just meet you all at the restaurant. Don't you have to pick up your date?" She asked, trying not to smile.

Sam could see she was trying her best to hold back, but she wasn't doing a very good job. "You better get yourself under control McNally because if you start enjoying my misery too much; you'll be on your own with the paperwork." He warned

"Relax." Andy ordered letting her smile go. "So are you picking her up or not?"

"No, she's meeting us there. That's Jerry's MO; he usually picks the girl up or has her meet us there so she ends up needing a ride home. Then he expects me to make the offer; he thinks he's pretty clever but he's not fooling anyone."

So far it hadn't bothered Andy; from what Sam had said it wasn't likely to work out, but Andy couldn't help but be a little concerned. "Maybe you might like her." Andy suggested quietly. _It was a possibility._

Sam looked over at Andy for a moment. _Was she worried? _

"I suppose there's a chance." He agreed watching her closely.

He saw something flash in her eyes and his heart skipped a beat. _ She was definitely bothered by that._ He decided to let her off the hook though. "But with Jerry's track record, I highly doubt it."

He was pretty sure that it wouldn't' matter how great this lady was; he'd already found what he wanted…now he just had to find a way to get it.

Andy smiled. "See you there then."

Sam winked at her before she turned on her heel to go get changed. As she walked away, he shouted a reminder. "Remember…your best behavior."

She didn't even look back; she just waved him away. "Yeah, yeah."

Sam laughed, turned off his computer and made his way to the locker room shortly behind her.

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><p>Sam left home just after seven. The restaurant was located at the edge of an industrial area and he had a bit of a drive. They were all meeting there at 7:30pm and he didn't want to be late.<p>

When he arrived, he was lucky enough to find a parking spot on the same block as the restaurant. He didn't see Jerry's vehicle yet, but he was a few minutes early. He decided to go in and sit down.

As soon as he came in, the hostess had a big smile for him, which he returned before asking for the table under Barber. She informed him that some of his party was already there. He knew it wasn't Jerry, so he was hoping for Andy because he really didn't want to meet his date without Jerry there. It was going to be uncomfortable enough with Jerry as the buffer.

The hostess led Sam towards the table and he was happy to see that it was indeed Andy. He watched her as he approached. She hadn't seen him yet but he could tell that she was in a great mood; she was laughing and smiling. Generally that made him happy but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She was looking right at the guy and he was grinning right back. Sam had to admit that he was a good looking guy; maybe slightly older than Andy but not by much. The guy had short dark hair, brown eyes and a muscular build. Sam was just about to the table when Andy looked up. She had been smiling before but it was even brighter when she saw Sam. And it didn't go unnoticed by either Sam or Kurt.

"Hi Sam."

"Hey McNally."

Andy's date stood up. "Kurt, this is my partner Sam. Sam, this is Kurt."

"Nice to finally meet you." Kurt offered as he reached for Sam's hand. "Andy's told me a lot about you."

Sam shook his hand as firmly as he dared; he was trying to rein in the protective instincts that were always on overdrive when it came to Andy. _Funny, she hasn't told me much about you. _He turned to Andy. "Should I be worried, McNally?"

Andy laughed. "Only good…I promise."

Kurt had been watching the two interact and was sensing some interesting tension. He was definitely going to be paying close attention tonight; he had a feeling Sam was more than a partner to Andy. And he couldn't help but wonder if this was at least part of the reason why her last relationship didn't work.

When Sam sat down opposite Andy, Kurt couldn't help himself as he decided to turn up the heat a little.

"If you call arresting someone and then bragging about feeling them up good…then you're right; it was all good." Kurt teased.

Sam burst out laughing as Andy gasped.

She blushed while she slapped Kurt's arm. "That was not how I told it." She turned to Sam to assure him. "That was not how I told it."

The initial shock of Andy having told Kurt about that day wore off the second Sam saw the look of terror on Andy's face. He was not known for letting opportunities like this go by, especially when it came to her.

Sam just kept chuckling. "It's ok McNally; I know you enjoyed it…the first step is admitting it."

Andy's mouth opened, but nothing came out; she had no idea what to say or to whom.

"Are you denying you called it feeling him up?" Kurt teased as Andy's shade of red deepened; he was obviously enjoying himself.

Andy finally recovered her voice, though she wasn't very confident in her words. "You're taking me out of context." She said, eying Kurt up.

Sam was enjoying this too. "Answer the question, McNally."

"OK…enough with the double teaming." Andy insisted, finally regaining her composure. "I should have known better than to hang out with both of you at the same time."

Sam wasn't ready to give up though, and Kurt was starting to like that about him.

"Come on, McNally; I think I deserve to know what you've been saying about me. I wanna know if I need to defend my honor."

Before Andy could defend herself, Traci and Jerry walked up. Kurt and Sam couldn't help but chuckle again when they heard Andy mutter under her breath. "Thank, God."

Jerry and Traci exchanged confused glances. "Clearly we missed something." Traci commented.

Before either Kurt or Sam could answer, Andy shot them both a glare that unmistakably said 'not if you value your life'.

Andy just shook her head at Traci silently begging her to let it go. "Nothing really...is Leo at your mom's tonight?"

Sam leaned across the table and whispered. "You're not getting away that easily."

Andy blushed again clearly affected by the double meaning in Sam's statement. Kurt just watched with interest, while Traci and Jerry simply sat down each making a mental note to ask their respective friends for details later.

It was exactly 7:30pm when Traci and Jerry arrived so when Sam didn't ask, Andy took it upon herself. "Did you not bring Sam's date with you?"

Sam grimaced; he wasn't looking forward to it. Though maybe it would be better to get it over with. _Maybe she cancelled_; he thought. But he wasn't generally that lucky.

Traci smiled knowingly at her friend while Jerry answered the question. "We live in opposite directions from here so she said she'd just take a cab over."

Andy nodded and introduced Jerry and Traci to Kurt before they all fell into conversation. The waitress came and took their drink orders but they told her they would wait for their last guest to arrive before ordering their meals.

Andy was trying to cover up her stomach growling, when she noticed a lady being led to their table about 7:45pm. Andy was able to see her coming, but Sam's back was to the door. Andy's eyes took in everything; she was a very beautiful woman, and quite the opposite of Andy. She was a petite blonde who went a little heavier on the makeup; her clothes were impeccable as was her hair and manicure. Andy was definitely low maintenance in comparison, and she couldn't help but feel at least a little bit plain. Andy's jeans and dress shirt paled in comparison to the designer outfit their new companion had on. Andy couldn't deny this woman was beautiful and Sam would have to be blind not to notice that. For the first time, Andy let herself really worry.

She looked over at Jerry and motioned with her eyes causing Jerry to turn his head and smile. "Alana, there you are… fashionably late as usual." He teased.

Her smile, though beautiful, didn't fully reach her eyes. All three men stood up as she neared the table. Andy watched Sam intently as he turned to greet the woman who would be his date. His eyes widened marginally, but Andy had no idea what that meant.

Sam could see that Alana was beautiful, but right now he wasn't sure his heart was even available. He was a gentleman though so he stepped back and pulled out her seat.

Jerry took the lead. "Alana, this is Andy and Kurt, my girlfriend Traci…and this handsome gentleman holding out your chair is Sam Swarek."

The smile was definitely in her eyes now as they raked over Sam. As always, he looked great in his t-shirt and jeans and Alana could definitely appreciate how well he filled out both.

And Andy didn't like it. She tried to hide it, but Kurt could see the jealousy clearly in her eyes when she turned towards him after having to look away. As Alana sat down, Sam lifted his head to find that Andy was the only one not looking over at them and by the set of her shoulders it was clear that she was forcing herself not too. Sam couldn't help but wonder why.

Alana thanked Sam as he returned to his seat. He was trying to be polite without showing too much interest; he knew he should give her a chance but he was too distracted. When Andy finally dared to peek she looked first at Alana who was sneaking sideways glances at Sam. _Crap_. She then moved her eyes to Sam who was taking a drink and watching her. He looked at her questioningly as if to say are you ok?

She gave him a soft smile before striking up a conversation with Traci.


	3. Chapter 3

This turned out a lot longer than I'd planned, but I didn't really want to break it during their supper. Hope you enjoy it...don't forget to let me know.

Andy was quite jealous the last chapter, which served to let her feelings come through, but when I envisioned this story Sam was the one who struggled with jealousy the most. Sorry Sammy.

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><p>Andy tried to get lost in her conversation with Traci; she needed a distraction from these feelings of jealousy. She thought she knew Sam's type and she hoped Alana wasn't it. When she imagined Sam with someone, she pictured someone fun, who laughed at his jokes, enjoyed sports and being active, who didn't mind a little teasing now and again. Truthfully…she saw herself with Sam. She only hoped that she could make him see it too. Unfortunately, tonight was not the night for that; she couldn't bring herself to sabotage his date. She would just have to be patient and hope that her chance would come before it was too late.<p>

While Andy was talking with Traci, Alana was trying to start a conversation with Sam. Before she had a chance, the waitress returned to take her drink order and see if anyone else needed another. It was a pretty easy table; so far they had all ordered scotch.

"Anyone need a refill?" She asked.

After making note, she turned to Alana. "Scotch for you too?" She assumed.

"Oh, God no! I'll just have a cosmopolitan please."

_You can't get much more girly than that _Traci and Andy both thought as they exchanged a look. But they both knew better than to be judgmental. After all, they spent too much time fighting stereotypes, trying to be accepted as an equal on the job and a woman off. It wouldn't be fair to judge Alana because of what she ordered; it was duly noted though.

Once the waitress left, Alana decided she wanted to know more about the group. "So, I know from Jerry that he and Sam are cops, but was does everyone else do?"

"Detective." Jerry corrected.

"Pardon me?"

"I'm a detective." Jerry clarified.

"Oh… a private detective?" She questioned, furrowing her eyebrows. "…I thought you were a cop."

While Jerry painstakingly described the difference between an officer and a detective, the others chatted amongst themselves. When Jerry finished, Alana was a little disappointed to see Sam deep in conversation with the rest of the table. She didn't like feeling left out, and she especially didn't want to be ignored by the man who was supposed to be her date.

When the waitress arrived with their drinks, she provided the lull Alana needed to ask again. "So the rest of you; what do you do?"

Andy replied for both girls. "Traci and I are police officers just like Sam."

"I don't know McNally; I can think of a few fairly important differences." Sam answered suggestively.

Andy blushed before chastising him. "Sam!" It was one thing teasing her like that when it was just the two of them, but she wasn't very comfortable with his intimation in front of everyone else, plus he had a date. _What was he thinking?_

Sam couldn't help but grin, thoroughly enjoying Andy's reactions to his words. He responded in mock innocence. "I don't know what you were thinking. I just meant that I'd been on the force longer, worked more undercover that's all."

She shook her head as she rolled her eyes. She should have known better than to take the bait; this was Sam after all. She shot a glare at Kurt when he started to laugh. "Hey…whose side are you on anyway?"

"I'm always on yours." He confirmed before he pulled her to him and kissed her on the cheek. Just like Sam, he would always have her back.

That didn't sit well with Sam, though; he wasn't sure he liked how quickly the tables turned. He had had Andy in the palm of his hand and within a few seconds, her date was kissing her. He knew he shouldn't be letting it bother him especially when he was on a date too, but he couldn't help it.

Kurt noticed Sam's mood change and that was when he decided to test his theory about Sam and Andy being more than partners to each other. It was apparent that Sam didn't know that Andy was his cousin and he wasn't about to tell him. _This was going to be fun._ He was quite happy that he had left his wedding ring at home. It frustrated his wife to no end that he hardly wore it, but in his line of work, it wasn't always feasible.

"And what do you do?" Alana asked Kurt.

"I'm actually studying to be a chef right now."

Sam knew that Andy loved a good meal and he had been lucky enough to cook for her in the past. He could hold his own in the kitchen, and she had definitely seemed to enjoy it, but he was sure he couldn't compete with an actual chef.

"You're a lucky girl." Alana said smiling at Andy.

Andy looked a little confused; she had told Traci that Kurt was her cousin. She assumed that everyone would know, but they probably hadn't passed it on to Alana.

"Well, seeing as he's…"

Kurt interrupted her before she could finish. "She doesn't get lucky as often as she'd like."

Everyone gaped at his blatant confession.

"What?" He asked, feigning surprise. "I just meant with me living out of town, I don't get to cook for her very often. Though I'm sure pretty sure she wouldn't let me out of the kitchen if I was here in town."

Traci looked at him completely shell shocked; she certainly didn't talk to her cousins like that. When she met his eye he winked at her before shifting his eyes quickly to Sam and back. Traci moved her gaze to see Sam's tense jaw and shoulders; he did not appreciate Kurt's comment in the least. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he was jealous.

She realized quickly what Kurt was doing and she was definitely on board. If Sam liked Andy as much as she liked him, this might be a good way to bring it out in the open. She was so glad that she hadn't told Jerry much about Kurt, choosing instead to tease him about Andy picking her own date. Kurt was definitely good looking, more than good looking, he was hot, and obviously a lot of fun; Sam was in for a rude awakening.

Kurt knew he had a partner in crime the minute Traci opened her mouth. "You'd be lucky if she even let you out of the house."

Andy shook her head and wondered aloud. "What is this…pick on Andy night?"

"Well, I love a man that can cook; I can barely boil water." Alana admitted before turning to Sam.

"Sam, do you cook?" She asked, gazing up at him from under her eyelashes.

"I can hold my own." Sam said, not wanting to brag or in any way encourage her to ask him to cook for her.

"Sam's being modest." Andy stated sincerely. "I've seen the leftovers he brings to work and he's cooked supper for me before. Trust me…Sam's very good."

Andy regretted what she said the minute she heard the gasps around the table. As her face turned a very deep shade of red, Kurt and Traci tried to hold back their laughter.

Sam just grinned at her slip up and he couldn't resist leaning across the table. "I thought that was our little secret McNally."

That comment just served to deepen the color in her cheeks as the implication of both of their words set in further. "I just meant… Oh, you know what I meant." She muttered as the rest of the table let themselves go.

Alana's laughter wasn't as heartfelt as the other's though. Sam was chuckling with the rest until he saw the look on Alana's face and he felt a little guilty. He needed to do a better job at controlling himself and his feelings toward Andy; he didn't want to be disrespectful.

Just then, the waitress came over to take their food orders saving Andy from any further embarrassment. While they waited for their meals, a heated debate about whether the Senators were better than the Maple Leafs ensued between the guys. Kurt was living in Ottawa and was an avid Senators fan, but he was having trouble convincing Sam and Jerry that his team was better.

"When I'm back here this winter, we'll have to go out to a game and then we'll see who has the best team."

Andy just caught the tail end of the conversation. "What are you planning now?"

"We're going to go to a hockey game."

"Not without me you're not."

"You watch hockey?" Alana asked.

"Yeah, my dad used to take me a lot when I was younger. I even tried playing a couple of years but I wasn't very good." Andy confessed.

Traci laughed. "I played too, but I could never get into it; I prefer my sports with a little less contact thank you very much."

Before Traci and Andy could get sidetracked comparing stories, Jerry tried to bring Alana back into the conversation. "Do you play any sports or watch any specific teams, Alana?"

"Nope, I never really played any." She didn't say it, but she looked at her perfectly manicured nails and it wasn't hard to tell what she was thinking. "…never watched much either I'm afraid."

Sam could appreciate someone wanting to look good, but he'd much rather spend time with someone doing something fun without having to worry about how it would affect their nails or hair. He exchanged a look with Jerry who tried to pretend he didn't see it; so far it was looking like he'd struck out again.

When their orders came, everything looked really delicious. Partway through the meal, Alana commented about what a nice restaurant it was.

"Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon?" Sam asked in all seriousness, though Andy could tell by the tone of his voice what was coming next.

"No." Alana answered; she was definitely curious though. She hadn't heard anything of the sort.

"Great food, but no atmosphere." Sam answered without lifting his head, though his eyes shifted up quickly to meet Andy's from across the table.

Andy had to laugh; it was so totally Sam. Traci, Kurt and Jerry just groaned out their complaints, laughing more at his sad attempt at a joke.

Sam looked over to Alana to see her reaction; she had been pretty quiet. She actually looked a little miffed. "Is something wrong?"

"At first… well I thought… you're just being silly."

Before Sam could defend himself, Kurt took over. "That reminds me; I've got a good one. Everyone's ok with a blonde joke?"

He knew Andy loved a good joke, but he didn't know her friends well enough so he thought he'd better ask.

"You're kidding right?" Alana asked, amazed that he would even think it would be ok with her at the table.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm blonde."

"I know, but it doesn't really mean anything."

"Well, I don't appreciate that kind of joke." She stated, completely serious.

Kurt was actually surprised; people didn't usually turn down a good laugh, but it wasn't worth offending anyone. Everyone else had been looking forward to it, and weren't quite sure what to say. The table got awfully quiet as everyone decided to concentrate on their meal.

The uncomfortable silence didn't last long though, as Kurt perked up quickly. "No worries. I thought of a better one anyway."

As everyone continued eating, Kurt started his joke. And he was good – he had the voices and the actions going. The joke wasn't even half over and Traci and Andy had tears rolling down their faces. Jerry was chuckling too thinking to himself that this guy would be great to hang out with. _I would double with him and Andy anytime._

Sam was trying hard not to like the guy, but it was getting really difficult; he could have been a comedian and Sam couldn't help but laugh as the joke went on. Truth be told, if he didn't think Kurt were in the process of stealing the woman he wanted for himself, he would really like the guy. He could actually see himself hanging out with Kurt. And as much as he didn't want to think about it, he could see why Andy enjoyed Kurt's company so much. And that was another reason he couldn't dislike the guy – he enjoyed watching Andy watch Kurt; he couldn't help but grin as her eyes sparkled with laughter.

The further the joke went, the louder Kurt got. Alana was starting to get uncomfortable as more and more attention was being drawn to their table. Kurt was more than good looking, but he was a little too boisterous for her liking. She actually tried to get him to settle down but he was on a roll and the rest of the table shushed her; they really wanted to hear the end. She wasn't happy but appeared to be outnumbered. She looked around at the nearest tables and tried to apologize with her eyes and body language, but in reality those closest to them seemed to be more interested in the rest of the joke too. They really weren't bothered by him.

When Kurt finally got to the punch line, four of his dinner companions burst out laughing. Even some of the people at the nearby tables started chuckling.

While the rest of the group tried to recover enough to eat, Alana couldn't keep her feelings in check. "I don't think that was very funny at all; in fact it was very much politically INcorrect. It was quite sad actually."

"Are you kidding? That was some of my best work." Kurt defended. "Politically incorrect or not you have to admit that was good. At least I didn't just settle for bringing a Henway out of retirement. Now that would have been sad."

Andy's eyes got really wide as her gaze shifted to Sam; she was distinctly remembering their stop at the diner on their trip to Sudbury. She tried not to laugh at the glare Sam was shooting back at her. _She better not say anything. _

As Andy was trying to control her giggling, Alana looked at Kurt and asked the dreaded question. "What's a hen weigh?"

All five sets of eyes snapped to her face, mouth's dropping open. _Seriously._

Andy and Traci looked at each other and couldn't hold it in. They burst out laughing once again, causing Jerry and Kurt to join them. Sam couldn't take it; he was trying to be considerate, but she wasn't making it very easy. _Seriously, this woman does not have a sense of humor._

Kurt just motioned to Sam with his hands encouraging him to explain it to her. He was on his own.

"About 3 pounds." Sam said with a slight cringe, trying to ignore the muffled laughter from the rest of the crowd who had wisely returned to eating their meals.

Alana looked at him still somewhat confused until he started to repeat it from the start. When she scoffed a little at the end, Andy took it upon herself to defend the joke. "Some people actually consider it a classic."

Sam grinned at her efforts to make him feel better about using it previously. Kurt just exchanged a knowing smirk with Traci, both acknowledging Andy's attempt to take some of the heat off of Sam.

After the big production was over, they all settled back in to eat. Alana was done quickly having just ordered a salad. As the rest were still working on their full meals and making small talk, she was feeling a little left out and was trying to figure out a way to rectify that.

Although Sam seemed different than the guys she'd previously gone out with, she could still appreciate what he had to offer. Earlier when she arrived, he had stood up and pulled out her chair for her. She definitely considered him good looking, thinking his smile was to die for. She wanted to at least get to know him better. He was polite, he could cook, she could see how much he loved his work, and he seemed very loyal to his friends. He had a lot of great qualities and damn she couldn't get past those dimples.

"So, Sam." She said sweetly, hoping to engage him in some one on one conversation. "You're in great shape, which I'm sure is a must for your job. Do you run? Go to the gym?"

"We have a gym at work that most of us use. You?"

She may not play sports but she did work out and stay in shape. "I like to run and I take some spin classes."

"I go for a run when I can, but I usually hit the treadmill after I do some weights."

"Well I could certainly see you throwing your Kettle Bells around the gym." She said smiling.

Sam just about choked on his drink; he had no idea what this woman was talking about. He wasn't even sure how to respond so he immediately looked up at Andy for help.

Earlier that day, he thought she was going to enjoy his misery; instead she had had his back all night. Each time Alana mentioned something he didn't understand, Andy had been there. Earlier, when Alana had been going on and on about her Manolos, he had looked up to see Andy mouthing the word 'shoes' so he could come up with an appropriate response.

Great partner that she was, Andy again didn't fail him. "Actually we don't have those types of weights at our gym at work." Andy answered.

Alana grimaced, wishing Andy would just butt out. She ignored Andy and looked back over at Sam, "oh that's too bad they're quite popular these days; I've taken a few of those classes too."

"We just have the basics." Sam confirmed. "Between running and the physical aspect of the job, it's worked well enough so far."

"It sure has." She flirted again.

Sam just granted her a small smile in return for the compliment.

Andy was only mildly bothered by that. Throughout the night she could see Sam's indifference to Alana – they just didn't have a lot in common. Though they say opposites attract; Andy really didn't feel threatened by her any more.

The small talk continued for the rest of the meal before Kurt excused himself to go talk to the chef and Andy and Traci headed to the washroom. Sam and Jerry both stood again. When everyone came back, the bills had arrived. Sam felt obligated to pay for Alana; it was a date, after all. She thought that was very sweet and smiled up at him. He graciously returned it, but both Traci and Kurt noticed that it didn't reach his eyes or his dimples.

When Kurt looked away from Traci, he noticed that Andy had grabbed their bill. He tried to snatch it back, insisting it was his turn. When it looked like they were at a stalemate, the group was surprised to see them both let go simultaneously. And then they all laughed when Kurt and Andy both started counting down and starting rock, paper, scissors at exactly the same time.

As soon as Andy won, she stuck her tongue out at Kurt. When he pretended to grab for her tongue, her hands shot up in defense. But he immediately changed direction and began to tickle her; she was giggling and gasping for air within seconds. Normally he would have been relentless, but when Kurt saw the look on Sam's face he stopped immediately and let Andy catch her breath. Sam had obviously been tormented enough. _If looks could kill._

Between the jealousy, the teasing and their interactions throughout the night, Kurt was absolutely certain there was something more between Sam and Andy. Now he just had to decide what he should do about it.

After all the bills were paid, they headed out the door. Kurt started talking about how much fun it had been and the others all agreed. "I can't wait to move back so we can do this more often." He said.

Andy had been walking slightly ahead with Traci and she whirled around to face him. "You're moving back? When?"

Sam couldn't help but be disappointed at just how excited she was to hear it.

"I'll be done school in two months and then I'll be looking for a job here."

"Kurt, that's amazing!" Andy cheered, giving him a huge hug.

Traci watched Sam's face fall at the realization that this guy that Andy appeared to truly like would be moving back to town permanently. She felt really sorry for him in that moment and also a little guilty; she started to wonder if they should come clean.

"We have to celebrate." Andy declared. "Let's all stop for a drink."

Traci was surprised when Sam perked up and said. "I have a better idea."


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter ended up being more of a filler simply to get us to the point where I envisioned Sam finding out Kurt's relationship to Andy. I actually expected this to be included with the last chapter, but they both just kept going and going. Which means my 4 chapter story will now be 5. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>"We have to celebrate." Andy decided. "Let's all stop for a drink."<p>

Traci was surprised when Sam perked up and said. "I have a better idea."

Andy and Kurt turned to Sam to ask about his idea, but he wasn't looking at them. They followed his line of sight and knew exactly what he was thinking. "I'm in." They both announced at the same time.

Traci was still confused. "What are you talking about?"

"That." Andy said as she pointed into the industrial area. Traci turned her head to see a go kart track still lit up and obviously open.

"Dammit." Traci muttered.

"What's wrong?" Jerry wondered.

"I'm wearing a fricking mini skirt." She complained.

Alana had finally looked to see where they were pointing and she saw the track as well. "Well, I'm certainly not going to sit in one of those filthy things, not in this outfit."

Andy tried not to roll her eyes, but she wasn't having much success. Kurt's elbow to her side didn't stop her; it only served to redirect the action to him, which he responded to by sticking out his tongue.

Sam was oblivious to the family feud as he was lost in his own thoughts and feeling a little selfish for making the suggestion. He had really wanted to go. Truthfully, it was something he was pretty sure he could beat Kurt at, though he would never admit that was why he wanted to do it. He also thought it would be fun and he knew for a fact that Andy would enjoy it. He really hadn't given much thought to how the other girls might feel.

"Sorry about that, ladies. I wasn't thinking." Sam apologized. "Andy's right; we should just go for a drink."

Alana's face started to light up at that prospect but her spirits were quickly dampened by Traci. "No, no…just because we can't do it doesn't mean you guys can't. I can tell you all want to and I don't mind. Besides, it won't take that long. Alana?"

Alana wasn't really ok with it but she didn't want to put a damper on the evening. If she was hoping to get to know Sam better, she decided she needed to give a little. "I suppose that would be ok. I'm sure I'll have just as much fun watching you." She said to Sam, taking a hold of his arm to lead the group towards the track.

Andy didn't like the possessive way Alana was holding on to Sam and she could feel herself tensing up. Kurt had watched as the anger flashed through her eyes and he tried not to grin. "What's wrong?" He whispered already aware of the answer and knowing Andy well enough to know that she wouldn't tell him.

"Nothing. Let's go." She replied tersely before grabbing his arm and following behind Sam and Alana.

Kurt just laughed and she was pretty sure then that he knew what she was feeling. "Shut up." She muttered as she swatted his arm and shook her head; though she couldn't help but giggle back.

When Sam looked behind to see if the rest of the group was coming, he did it just in time to see Andy swat Kurt and share a laugh with him. He turned his head immediately back around to hide the grimace he knew was imminent.

"I can watch with you." Jerry offered as he and Traci moved to catch up to the others.

Traci just rolled her eyes. "You know you want to play too. It's fine, Jerry. Alana and I can chat, get to know each other better."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Excellent! You better watch out Sammy." He yelled forward. "I'm going to kick your ass."

"Hey, he's not the only one you need to worry about." Kurt argued.

"Yeah, Barber. Or are you afraid of a little more competition." Andy taunted.

"McNally, I am not afraid of you. There's a reason why Sammy never lets you drive."

"You mean besides having an unhealthy attachment to his truck."

"Hey, she's temperamental." Sam defended. "Besides I don't let you drive the squad car either."

"Well, that's just because you're a control freak." She teased.

He just turned around and gave her the eye. "Best behavior." He reminded, obviously hinting at mounds of paperwork in her future.

She got the hint and decided to let the subject drop; they were just about to the track anyway.

Before they paid, Jerry double checked to make sure it was ok with Traci.

"It's probably better this way." She said. "I wouldn't want to put you all to shame."

Jerry just chuckled and gave her a kiss. "We won't be long."

"Kick their asses, Andy." Traci yelled as they all walked away.

"Hey…what about the guy that just kissed you." Jerry yelled back.

"Sorry. Andy's representing the girls; I have to cheer for her."

"You should've told me that before I kissed you." He muttered, pretending to be hurt.

Traci just laughed as he turned to join the others. While they went to pay their fees, pick out their helmets and enter the waiting line area, Traci moved to stand beside Alana at the side of the track.

"So, how do you know Jerry?" Traci asked, trying to make small talk.

"I work in a lawyer's office and we met there." Alana wasn't sure if she should say that her firm represented him in his divorce. "We just ran into each other again the other day and that was when he asked me if I wanted to meet his friend."

Traci just nodded her head.

"Sam seems nice." Alana commented, hoping to lead Traci into divulging more about him.

"Yeah…he's a good guy. I don't know him really well but he's one of Jerry's best friends and Andy's partner so I've been getting to know him better through them."

"Oh, he and Andy are partners. Is that why she's so pushy when it comes to him?"

"Pardon me?" Tracy couldn't believe the nerve.

"I don't know; it just seemed like she kept sticking her nose into our conversations."

Traci knew Andy was just helping Sam get through the night as comfortably as possible, but she wasn't sure what to say or do without sounding rude. "They're partners and they have each other's back." She explained. "Sam and Andy care about each other." She emphasized the word care, hoping that Alana would get the hint.

"It's nice that she cares about him, but I wouldn't think she'd want to put a crimp in his love life."

_She is his love life you idiot…or at least I think she will be. _"I'm sure she wasn't trying to be rude; they're just used to being together. It's second nature to them to interact like that."

"Well, it's probably best that they don't double date in the future then; that is if either one of them ever wants a relationship outside of that."

"I have a feeling they'll do just fine."

Alana didn't agree but didn't think it was worth the argument. If she happened to go out with him, she knew she would definitely be putting her foot down there.

Andy and the boys were just sliding their helmets on and getting ready to get behind the wheels. Jerry had already sat down in his cart but Andy was still having difficulty with her helmet. Kurt saw that she was having trouble but he decided to ignore her hoping that Sam would intervene.

"Oh for heaven's sake McNally, get over here."

Sam pulled her to him and started doing up the strap for her. Every time his hand grazed her neck her cheeks flushed red. Sam tried not to notice, but they were standing so close to each other; he could feel the heat emanating off her body. And every time the blood flooded her cheeks, he felt his blood rushing elsewhere. At this point, he was having almost as much trouble doing up the helmet as she had.

Jerry yelled out. "McNally, how do you expect to ride with the big boys when you can't even do up your own helmet."

It was enough to break the tension and Sam quickly got the strap done up for her.

"Thanks." She said quietly.

"What are partners for?" He grinned back.

The two of them quickly belted up and were ready to go in no time. All four sat watching for the green light to allow them out on the track. Happily, they were going to be the only ones out there.

Sam started out in the lead but was followed closely by Kurt. Sam was surprised at how well Kurt could drive; they were neck and neck. Andy and Jerry were left slightly behind and couldn't find a place to get by because the other two were side by side, taking up almost the whole width of the track. Jerry resigned himself to losing and decided to simply enjoy the fun. Andy though watched the two of them like a hawk; she stayed directly behind them and studied their every move. She had to smile at the two guys racing; she could tell that they were both trying really hard to win. She knew them well and she would have expected nothing less; they were both very competitive guys.

The light on the track changed to orange indicating this was the final lap. Kurt and Sam continued to battle it out as Andy watched from behind. When they crossed the finish line, Andy couldn't tell who had one.

As they exited the cars, she could hear them both arguing about who had come in first. When they asked her, she said she had no idea. They asked the race attendant and he said he didn't know either. Jerry yelled back to the two spectators. "Who won?"

Traci shouted back. "Too close to call."

Kurt and Sam just looked at each other. "Rematch." They said in unison, heading to the cashier to pay for another round without so much as a thought to the others. Andy trailed behind. "I want in too."

Kurt turned back. "But you didn't tie for first."

"Doesn't matter; if this is a rematch, I want in. Jerry?"

"Nope…I'll just watch. Those boys are too serious for me."

Jerry headed back to the two women at the side to let them know there would be one more race. Alana was clearly irritated but Traci just laughed. "Figures."

The second race started out much like the first. Sam and Kurt took the lead and stayed neck and neck the entire race. However, Andy had learned from the last race. She hadn't just been driving she had been watching and she knew the exact moment when there was room on the track for her to pass; it was about two thirds of the way around and it happened every time. She bided her time and waited to see the orange light indicating the last lap. When it came on, she closed the distance between herself and the cars in front of her. When the moment came, she took it. She accelerated through the small hole they left on the inside of the track. They didn't realize until it was too late that she had passed them both. They had been too busy concentrating on each other to pay her any mind. They had definitely underestimated her.

When they exited the vehicles, Traci was screaming from the sidelines in celebration. "I knew you could do it."

Andy stood up with a smirk. "Sorry, guys. I guess we know who the real winner is now."

They were both sulking as she linked her arms in each of theirs. "Come on, boys. They have ice cream at the snack bar; I'll buy you both one to make you feel better."

All Sam could think about was how holding on to Andy was already making him feel better. Maybe losing wasn't so bad…and at least he hadn't been beaten by Kurt.

When they entered into the concession building, Traci, Jerry and Alana had come in from the other side. Andy still had her arms linked with the boys and Alana didn't like it. She thought Andy was taking her partnership liberties a little too far.

Traci came up and gave Andy a big hug and congratulated her for beating the boys. Jerry just muttered what Andy thought was 'yeah, good job'. Apparently he didn't like being wrong.

Andy told them she was buying her boys ice cream so they'd stop pouting. Though Traci didn't think Sam looked like he was too upset, especially when he heard Andy say 'her' boys. Jerry offered to buy the other girls ice cream too. He and Traci went to pick something out, but Alana turned him down explaining how many calories there were in just one scoop.

As Andy, Kurt and Sam stepped up to order, Kurt chose first and then walked away, again leaving the two to fend for themselves. Andy ordered cookies and cream and asked Sam what he would like.

Andy couldn't help but react to his choice. "Sam, come on. You always order chocolate…plain chocolate every time. There are like 30 flavors here and you pick chocolate. Where's your sense of adventure?"

Sam had a comment on the tip of his tongue. But as his eyes started to twinkle at the prospect of teasing Andy with a little more innuendo, she held up her hand. "Forget I asked." She knew what was coming next.

He just leaned into her ear and whispered. "I'm plenty adventurous thank you very much."

She turned away to order the ice cream, thankful to hide her blush at the same time. As Andy was paying, Sam leaned over her shoulder again. "Nice driving."

Andy was still grinning from Sam's compliment as they joined the rest of the group and headed out the door.

"This was great." Jerry said. "But I'm pretty sure most of us have to get up in the morning so I think it's time to head home."

They started walking back to the restaurant where the vehicles had remained parked. When they stopped in an area centered between all of their cars, Alana hinted. "Well, I guess I should call a cab then."

Jerry was elbowing Sam, clearly implying that he should offer to drive her home. Sam knew he should but he was hesitant. _Why couldn't Jerry just drive her home? Surely even she knows it didn't go very well. _

Sam really didn't want to, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Jerry wasn't about to offer and she shouldn't have to take a cab home now.

Andy watched in interest. She couldn't understand why Jerry didn't offer either. He invited Alana and it was obvious that Sam didn't want to do it. _For heaven's sake._

"Where do you live?" Andy asked. Sam let out a breath, thankful for the reprieve.

After she told them, Andy turned to Kurt. "Is that near your hotel?"

"I think it's fairly close – same general direction anyway."

Alana didn't like where this was going.

"Well then, we can just drop you off at home." Andy offered.

Alana looked at Sam, hoping he would jump in and volunteer. When it was apparent that he wasn't going to, she relented and said that would be fine. She, Kurt and Andy started moving towards Kurt's car.

"Wait."

Alana perked up a little, believing that Sam must have had a change of heart.

"But we still have to get you home, McNally." He stated, hoping that she wouldn't be spending the night at Kurt's hotel. They did have to work tomorrow and without a vehicle it would have to be too far away.

"Kurt can just drop me off first; he was going to have to do that anyway."

"That doesn't make sense; I can drive you home. We're going in the same direction and that saves everyone an extra trip." _Plus you can't go home with Kurt._

Andy looked at Kurt for approval, trying to ignore the knowing grin on his face.

"Works for me; I'm kind of tired so..." He was fine to let Andy ride home with Sam; they'd both be happier that way.

Andy was about to turn to Sam's truck when she remembered something. "Oh, Kurt…are we still on for supper tomorrow night?"

Sam couldn't believe it; he had just finagled a way to take Andy home and now she was making another date with Kurt. _Are you kidding me?_

"Of course."

"Are we going out or do you want to come and cook at my place?"

"Tough call…do I want to go to your place and do all the work or just continue to relax on my week off?" He teased.

She just shook her head waiting for his decision. She knew he loved to cook and at home, he didn't consider it work.

"Let's go out and then we can go dancing. We'll go to that club we went to last time I was here." He decided quickly. "Does anyone else want to meet us there? It'll be more fun with a group? Dancing? Drinks?"

Jerry was up for another evening with Kurt; _the guy was a blast_. "Up to you, Trace."

"I'll see what I can do; if Mom can't take Leo again, we might be able to get a sitter and swing it. If it's after supper, we can even get him into bed so it'll easier."

"Sam?" Kurt asked.

Sam noticed that Alana looked very eager to go and with him, and he could tell she was about to suggest just that. He would love to go to keep his eye on Andy and Kurt, but he didn't know how he could accept without being polite and inviting Alana along too. "I don't think tomorrow will work for me."

Alana wasn't the only one disappointed that Sam said no though. Andy had really been hoping that Sam would come and that she might get a chance to dance with him. Even Kurt was frustrated; he had been hoping for an opportunity to help Sam and Andy along.

"It was nice meeting you all." Alana said as she moved to give Sam a hug. "It was nice meeting you, Sam. And…um…Jerry has my number so…"

Sam returned her hug and tried to think of the best way to be courteous without stringing her along. "It was nice to meet you too." He said, opting to just keep it simple.

"Well, we should go." Kurt urged, opening the passenger door for Alana. "Andy, call me when you get home." He instructed; he wanted to talk to her privately and he couldn't do it with everyone here.

"You don't have to worry about Andy." Sam assured him. "She's in good hands."

Andy recalled those hands as being more than good and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to have them touching her again.

Sam watched as a soft blush colored her cheeks and a small smile played on her lips. As the same memory invaded his mind, he assured them both. "She's safe with me."


	5. Chapter 5

This was supposed to be the last chapter, but it didn't work out that way. It just kept going and going and going; I preferred 2 smaller chapters to 1 monster one.

If you're bothered by the deception that evolved (not premeditated on anyone's part), please stop here. Sam will find out the truth this chapter, but the resolution won't come until the next chapter.

Let me know what you think.

* * *

><p>"You don't have to worry about Andy." Sam assured him. "She's in good hands."<p>

Andy recalled those hands as being more than good and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to have them touching her again.

Sam watched as a soft blush colored her cheeks and a small smile played on her lips. As the same memory invaded his mind, he assured them both. "She's safe with me."

He was absolutely right; Andy never felt safer than when she was with Sam. And she couldn't help but smile wider as she happily followed him to his truck. Andy waved to Traci and Jerry as Sam opened her door.

Traci and Jerry were headed back to her place. "That was a lot of fun." Jerry said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "I had a really good time."

"Me too." She agreed.

"What did you think of Alana?"

"You mean besides being so far off the mark it wasn't even funny."

Jerry couldn't figure out where she was coming from. "What do you mean?"

"She was nowhere close to Sam's type." Traci didn't know Sam well, but even she could have done a better job.

"How well do **you** know Sam's type?"

"Quite well, actually…she's my best friend."

"What?"

"Andy is the one for Sam." Traci declared.

"You think?"

"You don't?"

"I've kind of wondered if there was something there on his side, but she was with Callahan so I guess I didn't think anymore of it."

"There's definitely something there…for both of them."

They had just reached Traci's house. "But what about Kurt?" Jerry asked. "McNally seemed to like him a lot."

Traci was about to respond when Jerry's phone rang. He answered it quickly and after listening for a few seconds he asked the person to hold on. He held his hand over the mike and spoke quietly. "This is going to be awhile so I'll see you in the morning?"

Traci sighed and agreed before she exited the car. She would definitely have to spill the beans tomorrow; playing along with Kurt was one thing, but she didn't like deceiving anyone, especially her boyfriend.

* * *

><p>After a fairly uneventful and mostly quiet ride, Kurt dropped Alana off at her house. They had talked a little, but she had given up after Kurt felt the need to continually bring up how close Sam and Andy seemed to be. She mumbled her thanks and quickly left for her door.<p>

Kurt couldn't help but smirk to himself as he rode the rest of the way to his hotel. When he got to the room, his wife Erica was already in bed reading a book.

"Hey, did Andy call here?" Kurt asked.

"Weren't you just with her?"

"Well, yeah, but she was supposed to call me when she got home and she didn't call my cell."

"You didn't drop her off?" Erica was getting more confused by the second.

"No, her partner dropped her off; I drove his date home."

She couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sensing a story there somewhere."

Kurt laughed and replayed the night for his wife spending the majority of the time on how jealous both Sam and Andy seemed to be and how he was pretty sure that Sam had no idea that he was Andy's cousin.

"She didn't tell him? That's terrible." Erica was a little disappointed in Andy.

"I don't think she knows that he doesn't know." Kurt revealed. "That's the funny part; she's so clueless when it comes to him."

"You played it up didn't you?" She accused before grabbing his left hand. "And how convenient; you didn't wear your ring either. What if Andy really likes him?"

"She does. She **really** likes him, but I don't think she realizes how much he likes her back. I could tell right away that he was jealous…and I may have taken a few liberties just to see how much he liked her and whether or not he knew she was my cousin."

"How could you do that? He might go and find someone else now or worse, what if he finds out and thinks she had something to do with it. Kurt you had no right." Erica chastised him.

"Don't worry; I'll clear it up with Andy tomorrow and then I'll call Sam and explain." He offered.

"You'd better. Now tell me; is he a nice guy? Is he worth Andy's time?"

"Actually, he seems like a really great guy and I can tell that he would take good care of her."

Erica of course knew Andy's history and couldn't help but want that for her. "She deserves that."

"Yes she does."

"You better not have screwed it up for her." She warned again, still a little concerned.

"I didn't. But now I'm going to shower and then when I get out maybe we can discuss someone else's love life…like maybe yours." He proposed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Erica just giggled and shooed him to the door. "You better hurry; I think this book is putting me to sleep."

She laughed louder when Kurt ran to the bathroom, strewing clothes as he went.

* * *

><p>After Sam and Andy drove away, they sat in silence for awhile. Sam was trying to figure out how to broach the subject of Kurt, when Andy spoke. "I had fun tonight."<p>

"Me too."

"Is it safe to assume that Jerry's track record is still intact?" Andy teased.

"Pardon me?"

"Your date? Jerry's track record of not picking the right date? Or am I reading it wrong?"

"No…you're definitely right. I don't think Alana and I are on the same page when it comes to what we like. Actually, I don't even think we're in the same book."

"Yeah…I kind of got that feeling."

"I can't believe Jerry. She didn't like anything to do with sports, had no appreciation for jokes, and refused to ride on the go karts. I'm pretty sure my idea of a fun date wouldn't work for her at all."

"Well if it's any consolation, doing any one of those things sounds like part of a pretty good date to me."

Sam raised his eyebrow in question but didn't look over at Andy. Though he could see in his periphery that she was still staring out the window unaware of what she just confirmed, what he recognized just a day ago…Andy McNally was his perfect match.

"Thanks for helping me out tonight." He said, breaking into her thoughts.

"What are partners for?" She responded with a smile, repeating his earlier sentiment.

Sam had wanted to ask Andy more about Kurt, but the ride went too quickly. They were already at her apartment and it was getting late; he would have to save his questions for patrol tomorrow. He bid Andy goodnight and waited for the light to come on in her apartment before driving away. _Yep, he definitely needed to get some answers._

* * *

><p>Andy was in a good mood the next morning; she thought it was going to be a perfect day. She had had a fun night last night and this evening was going to be great too. The only drawback was that Sam wouldn't be coming, but at least they'd have the day together.<p>

When Andy got to the locker room, Traci and Gail were already in there. It didn't take Traci and Andy long to get started talking about how much fun they had last night and how terrific it went. Gail, though well rested, was a little jealous that she hadn't decided to tag along. She listened with a knowing grin when Andy went on and on about how Sam's date was **so** not his type.

"We're going out again, Gail." Andy informed her. "Can you and Chris come out tonight?"

"What are you doing?" The blonde asked.

"We're going to a club to go dancing." Andy explained excitedly. "My cousin and his wife are coming. Traci?"

"I'm working on a sitter; I haven't been dancing in so long." Traci complained. "I really want to go."

"So maybe Jerry and Traci." Andy continued.

"What about Swarek and his date?" Gail pushed, trying to get a reaction out of Andy.

"Sam was busy." Andy stated simply. "I don't think it bothered him though; Alana would have wanted to come too and he didn't seem too keen on that."

"So does that mean you're ok being the fifth wheel this time?" Gail asked, recalling their conversation from a couple of days ago.

"Actually, I was really hoping Sam would come, but then..."

"I'm sure you were." Gail interrupted, teasingly.

"Gail!"

"Come on, Andy. We all see it."

Andy blushed. "Anyway, Sam can't come so I thought I'd see if Dov will save me from being the odd one out. Do you think you and Chris can make it?"

"We have to go to my parent's for supper, but I haven't been dancing in awhile either. I'd love to go, but I'll confirm with Chris and let you know if he's up for it."

"Tell him you have to come. You'll love my cousin and his wife; I promise…so much fun."

"If his wife is anything like Kurt, I know we'll love her." Traci agreed. "Andy, he is a hoot. Gail, you have not heard a joke until you've heard this man tell it."

The girls continued to chat about the night's events while they made their way to parade. When the assignments were given, Andy was scheduled for booking; she would not be patrolling with Sam. She couldn't help but be disappointed that she wouldn't get to spend the day with him especially since she wouldn't be seeing him that night.

Before Traci headed off with Noelle, she looked around for Jerry so she could talk to him. But she found out that the call he took when he dropped her off had him out for the rest of the night, and he wouldn't be coming in till the afternoon. She would have to tell him about Kurt when he picked her up later, if she didn't see him beforehand.

The day went fairly quickly for Andy as it had been busy in booking, and she was past happy when Sam had come in more than once throughout the day. He stopped to chat a couple of times and he even brought her a treat from her favorite bakery when he showed up just after lunch. Although his thoughtfulness made her day, it also served to make her wish even more that he was coming out tonight.

At the end of the shift, Andy ran to the showers. Even if she missed being with Sam all day, she was actually a little happy to have been in the barn because it allowed her to get out on time. She grabbed her phone and texted her cousin before she jumped in the shower; she wanted to confirm what time she would be ready. She had decided last night that she wouldn't go home; it didn't make sense when they could save time if he just picked her up here.

Andy did her hair and makeup before sliding on a sexy mini dress perfect for dancing in a club. As she glanced at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but wonder what Sam would think if he saw her in the dress, what it would feel like to dance with him, to… She had to stop herself there; she didn't want to get all hot and bothered when she was just about ready. _Still…_

While Andy was in changing, Kurt came through the front door of the division. When Gail looked up from the desk, her eyes widened at the striking man coming towards her. She was taken, but that didn't mean she didn't notice.

"Is Andy McNally here?" He inquired.

Recognition came to Gail's eyes. "Are you Kurt?"

"Yeah, I am." He answered in surprise. "And you are?"

"I'm Gail. My boyfriend Chris and I are going to be meeting you at the club. I'll go get Andy for you."

"Sounds great. Thanks."

While Kurt was waiting, he glanced up to see Sam walking in through the back. When Sam looked over, Kurt nodded in acknowledgment. Sam waved before turning his head to a commotion coming from the direction of the locker rooms.

Andy looked drop dead gorgeous in her sparkling mini dress and three inch heels that made her legs go on for miles.

"Settle down you animals." Gail ordered, while Andy blushed. The only reaction she had given any thought to (or cared about) was Sam's; she never considered what would happen when she walked out in front of anyone else.

"You act like you've never seen a woman before." Gail yelled at all the guys throwing catcalls at Andy as she hurried to the front. "No wonder you're all single, jeez."

The din died down a little, though the majority still couldn't help but watch Andy as she walked out; _she cleaned up good._ She linked arms with Kurt and he kissed her cheek as they went out. They were now going to pick up his wife for supper. Her business in Toronto was finally done and she was ready to celebrate, but she was running late so Kurt had come to get Andy first.

Gail laughed when she saw Sam watching the door; he could not pull his eyes away.

Jerry sidled up to him. "That man is going to have his hands full keeping the guys off McNally in that outfit."

Sam grimaced as he tried to shake that image out of his head. He didn't want to think about any other guy's hands on McNally…including Kurt's.

Gail had been watching Sam and it was obvious that the feelings Andy had for him were returned. It was really too bad that Sam wasn't coming tonight. _Those two need to stop dancing around each other...maybe she could prompt Sam into changing his plans._

Gail came up beside Sam and Jerry contemplating her next move. She thought about pretending to wipe the drool from Sam's mouth, but decided she might be pushing her luck a little too far with that one.

She settled with using one of her best assets – her mouth. "Don't tell Chris I said this, but McNally's cousin is hawwt… too bad he's taken."

Sam and Jerry whipped their heads around to face her before asking in disbelief. "What? That's McNally's cousin?"

* * *

><p>A.N. Gail's plan of action has just started and will continue next chapter; she actually has no idea that she's just spilled the beans.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Here's the final chapter. Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed the story and written positive reviews; they make my day.

To the few who have not been happy with it, I would suggest again stopping here. These stories are meant to bring a smile to your face; if they don't do that, don't put yourself through it…because I'm afraid my Sam is a lot more forgiving. If you're looking for drama and retribution it's not here.

**Enjoy**…and please let me know what you think.

* * *

><p>She settled with using one of her best assets – her mouth. "Don't tell Chris I said this, but McNally's cousin is hawwt… too bad he's taken."<p>

Sam and Jerry whipped their heads around to face her before asking in disbelief. "What? That's McNally's cousin?"

Gail just looked at them like they were crazy. _They went out with the man last night; they had to know it was him._ "Of course it was. Don't you remember your triple date last night? The couple's thing that Andy didn't want to go to alone? Her cousin was in town and his wife was busy so he came with her? Any of this ringing a bell? You had to be able to see it was him from here." She said, confirming with a glance towards the door.

When she looked back at Sam, he still had the deer in the headlights look. "Or were you too busy gawking at McNally to notice the guy she had with her?" She teased.

"What? No?" Sam disputed, finally looking over at her.

Now that she had his full attention, it was time to give Sam a little push. "It's a shame you have plans."

"Why do you say that?"

"I just think it'll be fun. Chris and I are meeting them at the club later, after supper with my parents. Dov's coming too so Andy has someone to dance with. She told Traci and me that she had hoped **you** could come, but she had to settle for Dov." She said as she shrugged.

She started to turn away, but looked back over her shoulder. "Too bad you were busy tonight, huh Swarek?"

Sam's eyes had widened as he processed the new information. _Andy had wanted him to come dancing with her. So why didn't she say anything then? Shit…because last night I said it wouldn't work._

Gail couldn't hold in the grin as she walked back to the desk. She was pretty certain he was going to take the bait; now it would be up to Andy to reel him in.

Sam decided right then and there that his so-called plans just got changed; now he had to figure out where they were going.

Sam turned to Jerry as soon as Gail was out of hearing distance. "Did you know he was her cousin?"

Jerry told him that he didn't but he planned to find out if Traci did. She seemed to know a lot of things that he was just becoming aware of.

"So Sammy, are we going to be seeing you later tonight?" Jerry wondered finally cluing in.

"I think you just might." Sam confirmed before proceeding to pump Jerry for all the details.

As soon as Jerry left, Sam sat down at his desk knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to concentrate on paperwork. He did only what was absolutely necessary and then he took off.

Although he was in a hurry to get home, he took his time with supper. While he cooked, he paced the kitchen and thought over the last couple of days; he wasn't exactly sure how he felt about it all. He knew he should be angry at being deceived but his excitement over Andy being unattached seemed to be overpowering his anger.

He replayed everything in his mind and realized that the only time the word 'date' came up was when they first talked about going out for supper. And all she had said was that Sam was going to love him and that they used to be close. _She definitely didn't introduce him as her cousin, but nothing she did implied that there was anything romantic between her and Kurt. Wait…she never even kissed him good night either. _

_But what about Kurt though; he went out of his way to make some pretty leading remarks. _

Sam didn't like being deceived, but he had to admit that he had assumed a lot of things as well. _And Andy obviously wasn't hiding it if she told Gail and Traci, but why didn't Jerry know?_ There were too many questions and not enough answers and he was getting tired of over thinking it.

He only knew three things for sure: Kurt **was** Andy's cousin, Andy no longer had a boyfriend, and Andy **wanted** Sam to come out tonight. _Well, she was about to get her wish._

Sam was just getting ready to step into the shower when his phone buzzed. He picked it up quickly to see a text from Andy. _Speak of the devil. _"Hey, Sam. I know you're busy tonight but we need to talk. Can you call me tomorrow? I know we're off but it can't wait. Please call tomorrow as soon as you can."

He thought about responding, but decided against it. He was going to be seeing her tonight anyway and it wouldn't hurt her to stew about it awhile. He thought it was only fair.

After showering, shaving and changing into a clean pair of jeans and a nice shirt, Sam headed out the door. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say or do, but hopefully he'd have it figured out by the time he got there. What he did know was that he was willing to give Andy a chance to explain. He couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't get angry, but he had to know why he wasn't told.

When Sam entered the club, his eyes were drawn to the dance floor where Andy was dancing with Dov. He just stood there watching her for a few minutes before he looked around and found Traci, Jerry, Kurt and another lady sitting at a table.

Sam stopped at the bar to grab a drink and gather his thoughts before he walked over to his friends. He wasn't sure who to talk to first; did he ask Jerry what he found out or did he go straight to the source?

After being greeted by Traci and Jerry, Kurt introduced Sam to his wife Erica. Sam politely shook her hand and exchanged small talk with her not wanting to start things off on the wrong foot. Within a few minutes, they were all laughing and joking and Sam had been distracted from his mission.

But Kurt didn't want to put this off; he knew he had to take care of it before Andy returned to the table. He couldn't hold back any longer so he pulled Sam away. "So I'm hoping that now that you know I'm not after Andy, we might be able to be friends."

"What? No…I…" Sam stammered.

Kurt laughed; he had obviously caught Sam off guard. "She likes you too; I can tell. I know Andy, and she's as sadistic as the best of them."

"What?" Sam asked, shaking his head. That was not where Sam thought he would be going with this conversation.

"If it had been anyone else last night, she would have watched them squirm on a set up like that and she would have enjoyed every minute of it. But she kept bailing you out over and over, and I can only think of one reason why."

Sam smiled.

"And she trusts you too." Kurt added. "I hope you understand how important that is to her."

"I do." And Sam did; he knew her well enough to know that she didn't put her faith in just anyone. "But trust runs both ways." Sam stated, raising his eyebrows and daring Kurt to deny that he had been deceived.

Kurt got the message loud and clear. "You're right it does and I'm sorry about the…'miscommunication'. I kind of figured last night you didn't know exactly who I was and I may have gone out of my way to push a few buttons. But you **can** trust Andy; she had no idea that you didn't know."

"I should really be pissed at you." Sam replied.

"Are you? It's ok if you are, but just don't be mad at Andy because she really didn't know. I told her at supper earlier that I was pretty sure that you thought I was her real date, and if it's any consolation she's pissed enough for both of you. And so is my wife."

He motioned towards Erica who felt their eyes on her and looked up. Even though she was deep in conversation with Traci, and Chris and Gail, who had just arrived, she lowered her chin and focused her stare on Kurt. He knew that meant that he better be making nice.

Kurt rubbed his arms as recalled the slap he received from each woman and he was pretty sure the ringing in his ears was not from the loud music but from being scolded in stereo for the better part of their supper. "I think I have matching bruises to prove it."

Sam chuckled having previously been on the receiving end of Andy's wrath. "I don't doubt that for a minute, but I'm not mad. I was a little to begin with, but technically neither you nor Andy ever came right out and said it. I have to take some responsibility because I just assumed and I never asked."

"Actually, now that I think about it more, at one point I think Andy was going to correct Alana when she presumed the same thing. But I'm pretty sure you interrupted." He said, looking pointedly at Andy's cousin.

Kurt was looking a little sheepish. "I did, and again, I am sorry. I should have come clean as soon as I realized what you were thinking. I guess I was just trying to get a read on you two." He confessed.

Sam decided it was time to own up to a few things too; it was clear that he wasn't fooling Kurt. "McNally makes me crazy. I could have asked her out; I could have made a move. But I always seem to just sit back and torture myself by waiting until it's too late. That's probably why I assumed what I did; the timing's never been right for us. She finally breaks up with Callahan and before I can even blink, she's having dinner with you. It just seemed like fate was conspiring against me again."

"Well now's your chance." Kurt encouraged, motioning behind him.

Sam turned to see Andy approaching them, still a little breathless from the dance floor. She really did look amazing, and he really did like her. And if Kurt was right, she liked him back. He had no reason not to believe it, now he just had to finally do something about it.

"Sam, you made it." She smiled, pleasantly surprised. "I thought you were busy."

"Plans changed; hope that's ok? "

"Of course it's ok."

"Are you having fun?"

"I am…even more so now." She added with a wink.

She was so glad to see Sam there that she had momentarily forgotten, but she quickly furrowed her brow when she remembered what her cousin had told her earlier. "Did you get my text? Did Kurt explain? Did he apologize to you?"

Sam grinned, touched that she was so concerned. "Jeez, take a breath McNally. Yes, yes and yes."

"Good. I'm so sorry, Sam. I just assumed that Traci told Jerry and that Jerry told you; it didn't even dawn on me that you didn't know. Not that it really matters…cause I mean we are just partners but you're my friend, and it's not like we're…but still you should know and…"

Sam interrupted her, mid babble. "Andy…it's fine…and it **does** matter."

Andy blushed hoping that meant what she thought it meant.

"Would you like to dance?" Sam asked knowing Kurt was right; this was his chance, and he wasn't going to waste it.

The sparkle in her eyes was magnified by the flashing lights of the club but it was only matched by the one in Sam's eyes when she said yes.

"That is if Epstein doesn't mind." Sam teased.

Andy pointed to the edge of the bar where Dov was already flirting with a group of girls. "I don't think he'll miss me. Besides…everyone knows **you're my favorite partner**." She flirted, before she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the dance floor.

Sam was happy to follow along, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his. And she didn't let go of it until they made it to an open spot on the floor.

Not much more was said as they danced to the next couple of songs with little or no conversation…but their body language spoke volumes, and they only had eyes for each other.

When Sam suggested they head back to the table for a drink, Andy readily agreed. She loved being close to Sam, but she was having issues with her self control. This time, Sam grabbed her hand to lead her through the crowd; he was fighting his own battle and had needed the reprieve to calm his growing attraction before it became apparent to everyone in the club.

On the way back, they passed Traci and Jerry and Chris and Gail all on their way to dance; both girls grinned and winked at Andy when they saw her hand locked tightly in Sam's. Andy couldn't help but smile back; she was right where she wanted to be.

When they were just about to the table, Andy tugged on Sam's hand to get his attention. "I still think you should be milking this. You deserve some kind of payback…he should really have to make it up to you somehow." Andy claimed, wanting Kurt to learn his lesson.

"You may be onto something." Sam conceded, an idea forming in his head.

Andy approached the table and waltzed right up beside Kurt. "So what's the deal **Cuz**; how are you going to make it up to Sam? I think he deserves more than an apology after what you pulled."

"I couldn't agree more." Erica approved.

"Hey, whose side are you on?" Kurt griped, feigning hurt.

"I'm sorry, honey, but you are on your own after this one."

Kurt knew he deserved that, and he accepted it with grace, ready to take whatever the ladies threw at him.

"I'm thinking drinks on you all night?" Andy suggested. "Or maybe hockey tickets? Oooo, I know…a gourmet meal cooked by you? What do you think?"

Before Kurt could respond, Sam interrupted. "Come on McNally. We're police officers; we're taught to be fair. The punishment has to fit the crime. And as much as I'd enjoy any one of those things, I really don't think that justice would be served properly."

Sam grabbed the seat beside Kurt, leaving Andy standing between the two of them. He looked Kurt straight in the eye and questioned. "So how **exactly** would you describe the crime?"

Kurt played along; he had a pretty good idea where Sam was going with this. He thought very carefully about how he was going to answer. "I went on a date with my cousin and made you wonder if there was something between us."

"Hmm." Sam murmured in consideration, inwardly thanking Kurt for the perfect set up.

Kurt just grinned as Andy alternated glances between the two men. He could see her trying to figure out where this was going and trying to prepare herself for whatever came next.

"So it's only fair then…" Sam paused, trying to hold back his own grin. "That **I** get to go on a date with your cousin and make **you** wonder if there's something **between** **us**."

He held out his hand, waiting for Kurt to shake on it, all the while stealing glimpses of Andy's surprised expression. He was having trouble keeping a straight face. "Is it a deal?"

Andy's mouth had dropped open in surprise and they could see the wheels spinning in her head. _Was he…did he just say…were they finally…_

Kurt could tell that Andy was frozen in shock and he couldn't resist taunting her just a little bit more. He started to shake his head. "I really don't think that's…"

He definitely got her attention with that and she just about choked; there was no way in hell she was letting him say no to that.

It happened so fast, Kurt didn't even see it coming. Andy body checked him right off his stool, and took his seat all in the same motion. She held out her hand to grab Sam's and blurted. "Deal."

Sam, Kurt and Erica all chuckled while Kurt tried to recover his balance. They didn't have to wait for the date to wonder if there was something between these two. If there was ever any doubt, it was gone in that instant.

"What are you doing tomorrow night then?" Sam asked, surprising even himself. He had been out with her last night, _well not exactly her but they were out together._ He was with her now, and still he was asking her to go out tomorrow. But it couldn't happen soon enough as far as he was concerned.

"It looks to me like I'm going out with you." She confirmed happily, her eyes twinkling as they met his. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of going on a real date with Sam tomorrow…and the fact that he still had not let go of her hand.

"I guess it's a date then." Sam smirked, before using Andy's hand to pull her in close and whisper in her ear. "But McNally…if I decide to let you tackle me and give me a pat down, let's not brag to your cousin about it this time."

* * *

><p>A.N.<p>

Earlier in the story, they had talked about how Andy described her first day to Kurt, and Sam was obviously planning to get the story from her. I wanted to explain it but couldn't find a place for it without bringing out more questions from Sam before the big reveal. So I had to settle for just eluding to it at the end. Hope it worked.

Also, I didn't show the dinner conversation because I thought that the Sam reconciliation was the more important part. Plus this four chapter story had already turned into six – if I add dinner conversation, Traci and Jerry's conversation, etc., we'd still be going. But I see Jerry as being forgiving too and mostly for the same reason Sam was…just my humble opinion and my poetic license. Could they have been angrier? Sure. Should they have been angrier? Maybe. Were they? Not this time…hope you're not too disappointed because I know I'm not.


End file.
